Pressure-regulating device



Nov. 16 1926.

J. D. LALOR PRESSURE REGULATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 18 1925 INVENTOR::EIWD- Lazar; flag W cams vs Mme? interior.

Patented 'Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES D. LALOR, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE LALOR FUEL OILSYSTEM COMPANY, INC., OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARY-LAND.

PRESSURE-REGULATING DEVICE.

Application filed February This invention relates to devices forregulating the pressure of fluid flow through piping, and moreparticularly to a type with provisions for adjustment.

Devices of the type referred to as heretofore constructed, especiallythose for high pressure installations, I have found to be more or lessunreliable in that they were incapable of properly holding theiradjustment after setting. As a consequence,therefore, they could not beused in instances requiring maintenance of steady fluid flow atcomparatively high pressures, for example, in oil burning systems wheresuch a condition is absolutely essential to uniform delivery of the fueloil to the burners and to safe, efficient and economical operation ofthe systems.

In its broadest aspect, my invention is directed toward overcoming theobjections noted, and to this end it has for an ob ect the provision ofa structurally simple and sturdy regulator which is not only absolutelydependable from the standpoint of the permanency of its adjustments, butwhich is also capable of extensive regulation for maintenance of steadypressures of fluid delivery over a very wide range of values.

Advantages accruing to my invention, other than those already recited,will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter of a typicalembodiment thereof as illustrated by the drawings, whereof Fig. I is anelevation of the improved pressure control device.

Fig. II is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

As herein shown, the device comprises a valve 1 whose casing will beobserved as of conventional configuration in that the same is globularwith the entrant and delivery sides 2, 3 of its flow passage set apartby a partition 4 extending diagonally across the The opposite ends 5, 5of the valve casing are polygonally flanged, in the customary wa andinternally tapped to receive the t readed ends of contiguous sections 6,6 of piping through which the flow to be measured is conducted. Forconvenience in securing and supporting the valve 1 in upright positionas shown, the valve casing is provided with an integral circular base 7.Projecting upward from the valve casing is a hollow flanged neck 8 whoseinterior is open to the flow passage 3 of the 18, 1925. Serial No.10,043.

valve 1, and which is closed at the top by a plate 9 bolted or otherwisesecured in place. The movable element of the valve 1 is in the form of atapered plug 10 that cooperates with a conically-ground seat about aport 11 located centrally of the horizontal portion 12 of the partition4 previously mentioned. The plug 10 is secured to the lower end of atubular stem 13 that extends to the exterior upwardly of the valvecasing through a lower stuiflng box 14 in the closure plate 9, thencethrough a second stuffing box 15 into a hollow chambered head 16supported at an elevation above said valve casing by a yoke 17conveniently formed integral with said head and the closure plate 9 asshown. The head 16 serves as a housing for means whereby the action ofthe valve is automatically controlled, said means including a flexiblediaphragm 18 of sheet metal, preferably phpsphor bronze, which spans theinterior of ni neau ana separates the same into upper and lowersub-divisions 19, 20, respectively. The diaphragm 18 is held in place byperimetric marginal engagement thereof between the flange 21 of aremovable dome cover 21, and an opposing flange 22 extending about thetop of the main or body portion of the head 16, bolts 23 being employedto clamp the parts securely and fluid-tightly together. The diaphragm 18is furthermore centrally pierced for protrusion therethrough of theupper end of the tubular stem 13 which is threaded at this region totake opposing nut collars 24, 25 respectively disposed above and belowsaid diaphragm to secure it to the stem 13, the nut collar 25 having anextended flange 25 whose rounded surface will permit the necessaryflexure of the diaphragm 18 and yet restrain excessive movement such aswould be likely to cause undue strain or fracture. A packing gasket 26interposed beneath and partly accommodated in the hollow of the collar24, serves to insure a fluid tight juncture with the diaphragm 18; andadditional auxiliary jamb nuts 27, 28 are employed with the collars 24,25 to insure against the possibility of loosening of the assemblage.Guidance, in addition to that provided by the stufling boxes 14, 15, isafforded the stem 13 by a central inwardly-projecting axially-bored boss29 of the dome cover 21 adapted to slidably receive the nut 27.Communication be tween the upper subdivision 19 of the head 16 and theflow passage 3 through the valve 1 is by way of the axial duct 30 in thestem 13, connecting ports 31 being provided in the latter at a regionimmediately ad acent the plug 10, and ports 32 in the boss 29aforementioned for the purpose stated. Through the avenue ofcommunication thus established, the surface of the diaphragm 18 exposedin the upper subdivision 19 of the head 16, is at all times subject tothe action of the pressure of the flow through the valve 1. Within thelower subdivision 20 of the head 16 the stem 13 is surrounded by ahelical compression spring 33 which bears at the top end against theflanged portion 25 of the collar 25, thereby tending to urge thediaphragm 18 upward and to keep the plug 10 elevated with the port 11open for passage of fluid through the valve 1.

In order that the compressive force of the spring 33 may be adjusted formaintenance of different working conditions of the valve 1, I providemeans as follows: Journaled in lug bearings 35 and 36-37 (Fig. I)projecting laterally respectively from the cover plate 9 and the head16, is a vertical shaft 38 with an actuator in the form of a hand wheel39 at its upper end, and a spur pinion 40 on that portion thereofbetween the bearings 35, 36. The face of the pinion 40 1s madecomparatively broad to accommodate relative planal shifting of anintermeshing gear wheel. 41 whose hub 42 affords the axial cavity forthe stufiing box 15 through which the tubular stem 13 enters the head16. The hub 42 of the gear wheel 41 is in screw threaded engagement withan axial opening 43 in the base or bottom 44 of the head 16; and on theupper end of said hub 42 rests a collar 45 which is free on the stem 13and shouldered. as at 46 to provide an annular seat or abutment for thecontiguous end of the spring33. Rotation of the shaft 38 in onedirection or the other by means of the hand wheel 39, will thus resultin planal shifting of the gear wheel 41 and effect correspondingvariation in the compression of the spring 33. In practice, the chamber20 of the head 16 is kept partly filled with oil or grease to ensurefree movement of the valve stem 13 in the collar 45 and the hub 42 ofthe gear wheel 41.

In the operation of the device, it will be apparent that the fluidpressure exerted on the side of the diaphragm 18 exposed thereto in thesubdivision 19 of the head 16 by virtue of the communication with theflow passage in the casing of the valve 1 via the hollow stem 13, willtend to close the valve, i. e., to hold the plug 10 against its seat 11on account of the difference in the opposed surface areas of saiddiaphragm and-plug exposed to the fluid. However, through regulation ofthe pressure of the spring 33 under control of the hand wheel 39 andinterposed gearing 40, 41, any desired ratio of differential action mayobviously be pre determined between the diaphragm 18 and the plug 10,the spring 33 acting reversely,

or in effect to oppose the force exerteddownwardly upon said diaphragmand therefore to assist raising of the plug 10 from its seat.Consequently, the flow through the piping 6 may be very accuratelycontrolled: in fact in actual practice with the ports approximatelyproportioned as shown in the drawings, it is quite possible to securedifferences between the applied and delivered pressures in the ratio oftwelve to one, or even greater. Furthermore, with the regulating gears40, 41, constructed as herein shown, it is obvious that the device willremain absolutely fixed in adjustment after once being set, and againstyielding to fluctuations in the applied pressure as likely to attendpump action.

As already pointed out, the main object of my invention is to provide aregulating device suitable in instances requiring fluid delivery at auniform, comparatively high pressure. The regulating device of myinvention is therefore especially applicable in connection with oilburning systems where delivery of the oil to the burners at a uniformpressure and rate is of paramount importance to proper and eflicientoperation of such systems.

Having thus described my invention. I

claim: 1. A pressure regulating device comprismg a valve with a movableclosure member having a tubular stem, a diaphragm secured to said stemand exposed to the flow to be regulated for opposed differential actionrelative to the closure member, means effective to restrain excessiveflexure of the diaphragm, a compression spring directly operative on thediaphragm, and gear actuated means enabling adjustment of the springpressure and corresponding variation in the differential action asbetween said diaphragm and the valve closure member, one of said gearsaffording axial guidance for the valve stem.

2. A pressure regulating device comprising a valve with a movableclosure member having a tubular stem, a hollow head separated interiorlyby a flexible diaphragm into two subdivisions, one such subdivisioncommunicating with the flow passage in the valve by way of the tubularstem to permit opposed differential action of the diaphragm relative tothe valve closure member, a pressure spring in the other subdivision ofthe chamber operative reversely upon the dia phragm, means efiective torestrain excessive flexure of the aforesaid diaphragm, and intermeshinggears enabling adjustment of the spring pressure to vary thedifferential action as between the diaphragm and the valve closuremember, one of said gears embodying a stufiing boX affording guidancefor the aforesaid tubular stem.

3. A pressure regulating device comprising a valve with a movableclosure member, a hollow head subdivided interiorly by a flexiblediaphragm into two subdivisions, said diaphragm being cent ally piercedfor attachment to the tubular stem of the valve closure member and topermit protrusion or the latter to establish communication of one of theaforesaid subdivisions with the flow passage of the valve through thehollow of the stem for opposed differential action of the diaphragmrelative to the valve closure member, means effective to restrainexcessive fiexure of the diaphragm, a helical compression springsurrounding the valve stem in the other of the subdivisions aforesaidoperative reversely upon said diaphragm, and intermeshing gears enablingadjustment of the spring pressure to vary the differential action asbetween the diaphragm and the valve closure member, one of said gearshaving its hub affording packed guidance for the aforesaid tubular stem.

4. A pressure regulating device comprising a valve with a movableclosure member, having a tubular stem, a hollow head separatedinteriorly by a flexible diaphragm into two subdivisions, onesuchsubdivision communicating with the flow passage in the valve by wayof the tubular stem to permit opposed difierential action of thediaphragm relative to the valve closure member, a compression spring inthe other subdivision of the chamber operative reversely upon thediaphragm, means effective to restrain excessive flexure of thediaphragm, screw means enabling adjustment of the spring pressure tovary the differential action as between the diaphragm and the valveclosure member, and intermeshing gears including an actuating hand wheelfor adjusting the screw means, one of said gears being broader than theother to accommodate relative planal shifting while maintaining lockinginterengagement therewith at all times, and the other gear embodying astufling box atfording guidance for the tubular stem aforesaid.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this 13th. day of February, 1925.

JAMES D. LALOR.

